RIO GRANDE, Ohio – The University of Rio Grande chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta national History honor society welcomed a record 17 new members during its 31st annual induction banquet on Monday, April 1.

Phi Alpha Theta boasts more than 350,000 members nationwide with roughly 9,500 new undergraduate, graduate and professors of History joining each year.

“History Professor Dr. Scott Beekman and myself are gratified to have had such an outstanding field of inductees for this 31st induction here at the University of Rio Grande,” said Ellen Brasel, an assistant History professor and Phi Alpha Theta co-advisor at Rio Grande. “We hope we have instilled in our students a love and appreciation of history.”

Students do not need to be a history major or minor for induction into Phi Alpha Theta. However, they must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better and have a 3.1 GPA in a minimum of 12 credit hours of History.

Griffin also was honored with the Liberal Studies Student Award for 2012-13 during the April 1 ceremony.

“Its one of those things where everybody knows everybody; just a big happy family,” Charles Crabtree said. “We have teachers. We have business majors. I think there are some nursing students in it. So it is very eclectic, but we all share that one common bond of history.”

For more information about the University of Rio Grande / Rio Grande Community College visit Rio.edu or call 800-282-7201.

The University of Rio Grande / Rio Grande Community College is the only combined private university and public community college in the country. Serving more than 2,400 students annually, dreams become reality while nestled into the beautiful rolling hills of southeastern Ohio.